Storms Claim Capitol Peregrine Falcon Chicks

LINCOLN – The severe weather that wreaked havoc across much of Nebraska on the evening and night of June 3 also appears to have claimed the two peregrine falcon chicks atop the Nebraska Capitol building.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission provides live streaming video of the nest box, and many falcon watchers awoke to find it empty early June 4. Game and Parks and Capitol staff, along with personnel from Fontenelle Forest’s Raptor Recovery, found the bodies of both chicks early June 4. One chick was discovered on the second floor roof and the other was found on the ground; both appear to have died instantly.

“Based on the evidence, it appears the chicks were simply blown out of the nest box by the severe weather,” said Joel Jorgensen, Game and Parks’ nongame bird program manager. “This is obviously an unfortunate and sad outcome, and we are disappointed.”

News media reports state that winds in Lincoln exceeded 70 miles per hour during the storms.